Printing member



July 27, 1943. R. HUGGINS PRINTING MEMBER original Filed March s, 195s ssheets-sheet 1 ATTORNEY July 27, 1943. Q R, HUGGlNS i 2,325,135

PRINTING MEMBER Original Filed March 3, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 2y "nunmmlIII Jill" IIIIII ATTORNEY vJuly 27, 1943. o. R. HUGGlNs PRINTING MEMBERv Original Filed March 3, 1938 3 Sheets-Shet 5 IN VEN TOR W||"W N NNI ww,w

Patented July 27, 1943 PRINTING MEMBER OwenR. Huggins, South Norwalk,Conn., assixnor to Linotone Corporation, a corporation of New YorkOriginal application 193,635. Divided March 3, 1938, Serial No. and thisapplication August 9, 1940, Serial No. 351,929

1 Claim.

This invention relates to the production o1' etched printing surfaces,and it is a division of my copending application Serial No. 193,635filed March 3, 1938, patented January 14, 1941 No. 2,229,014.

Various photo-mechanical methods have already been proposed forproducing such printing surfaces, but these methods have met with littleor no success from a commercial standpoint, as evidenced by the factthat, in general,

For a complete description as to how the improved process is carried outreference may be made to the accompanying drawings wherein the design tobe etched on the printing member is shown, by way of example, Aasconsisting of a circle. It is to be understood, however, that .theinvention is not limited to the production of this particular design ona printing member, but is applicable as well to the production of otherdesigns.

In the drawings- Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a portion of apparatusthat may be employed in practicing the present invention showing apositive of. a design element mounted in intimate contact with a lightreecting surface; v

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but with the e image bearing positiveremoved from in front of the light reflecting surface;

Figs.`3 to 6 inclusive, are diagrammatic views which aid in theunderstanding of the various steps employed in the process of creating amarginally reduced positive of the design element which may thereafterbe used to produce on a printing member a reproduction of the designelements without ground lines;

Figs. 3 to '7 inclusive, are diagrammatic views which aid in theunderstanding of the various steps employed in the process of creating amarginally reduced positive of the design element which may thereafterbe used to produce on a printing member a reproduction ofthe designelement with ground lines; I

- Figs. a to 5 inclusive, and Figs. 4a to 4a in'- 55 'grooves betweenthe ground 4in Figs. 11 and 15, was

clusive, are diagrammatic views which aid in the understanding of thevarious steps' employed in the process of creating a. marginally reducedpositive of the design element which may thereafter be used to produceon a printing member a reproduction of the design element wherein theoutline of the element is defined by a color carrying groove into whichempty the color carrying lines;

Figs. 8 to 15 inclusive, are diagrammatic views which aid in theunderstanding of the various steps'employed in creating a marginallyreduced negative which may thereafter be used 'to produce on a printingmember a reprodutcion of the design element wherein the outline of theelement is de nd by a color carrying groove, and a color retarding damis interposed between this groove and the color carrying grooves betweenthe ground lines;

Fig. 16 is a diagrammatic view of a marginally reduced positive similarto the positive shown in Fig. 15 except that the outer band, as shownfilm to the light reecting band through a iine screen so that when thepositive was thereafter employed to produce a printing surface thatportion of the reproduction outside the color carrying dam instead ofbeing a continuous color carrying groove is made of minute disconnectedcolor carrying wells or pockets; and

Fig. 17 is an enlarged detail of Fig. 16 showing the eiect obtained byexposing the film to the lightreecting band through 'a non-geometricscreen.

In practicing this invention to produce a printing member, adaptedespecially to print solid color designs on fabrics and the like, apositive of an element of the design s prepared in any suitable mannerona transparent lm or plate 20, as shown in Fig. 3, wherein the'opaqueimage 2l of the element appears tinted by horizontal lines for purposesof illustration. The image bearing lm 20 is mounted on a transparentplate 22, as shown diagrammatically in Fig. 1, with the image bearingface of the iilm 20 in juxtaposition with the-face of a light sensitivemember 23, preferably The -light sensitive member 23 may be either atransparent sheet or plate that gradually loses The light sensitivemember 23, in turn created by exposing the in intimate contacttherewith.`

diagrammaticallyv in Figs. 1 and 2, may be moved to carry the face ofthe light sensitive member 23 into and out of intimate contact with theimage bearing face of the fllm 20.

After the film 20 and the light sensitive member 23 have been broughtinto intimate contact, a marginally reduced negative of the designelement is created. To more readily understand Ahow this is accomplishedlet it be assumed that the light sensitive member 23 is of the sort thatreects' light and that light from any suitable source is directedagainst the transparent plate 22. Under these conditions, the lightwhich passes through the plate 22 and through the transparent portion ofthe film 20 acts to turn dark the oppositely disposed portion of thelight sensitive member 23 against which it strikes, as indicated by thevertical lines in Fig. 3. That portion of the light sensitive member 23opposite the opaque image area 2 l, being shielded against the action oflight retains its li'ght reiiecting properties and, as a result, anegative of the design element is created on the light sensitive member23. Now, let it be assumed that the transparent plate 22 carrying the lm20 is moved edgewise a distance X, as shown in Fig. 4. Under theseconditions a marginal portion of the negative on the light sensitivemember 23 is bared to the action of light and so loses its lightreecting properties. In consequence, by shifting the transparent plate22 edgewise in all directions a distance X, or in other'words, byrevolving it-in a circular path having a radius of X distance, amarginal band X distance in width, is bared to the action of light, andwhen this band turns dark the negative of the design element on thelight sensitive member 23 is reduced marginally a distance X as shown inFig. 5. In like manner a marginally reduced negative would be created onthe light sensitive member 23 if the sheet or plate employed was of thesort that gradually lost its light transmitting properties whensubjected to the action of light.

For details of mechanism for so moving and revolving the transparentplate 22 reference may to through a lens 26 to create a marginallyreduced positive (see Fig. 6) whichaiter developing, is placed inintimate contact with a light sensitive coating on a printing member andthen subjected to the action of light to create a negative of themarginally reduced design element in a manner Well known in the art. Theprinting member is then treated to fix the light affected portion of thecoating, Washed and subjected to the action of acid to etch out theunaffected portion to create a marginally reduced etched reproduction ofthe original design element in the manner also Well known in the art.

In certain cases it is desirable to provide a marginally reduced etchedreproduction of the design element with ground lines which serve tovsupport the so-called doctor blade during the printing operation. Insuch cases the film or plate 24 in the camera is exposed to themarginally reduced negative (Fig. 5) created in the manner explainedabove through a ground screen. The resulting positive in the camera, asshown diagrammatically in Fig. 7, comprises alternate light affectedareas 2l and unaected areas 28. When the positive thus prepared isemployed to create a printing member the etched reproduction of thedesign element on the printing member is reduced marginally and itcomprises alternate etched color carrying areas separated by upstandingwalls or ground lines.

In certain other cases it is desirable to have the color carrying areasbetween. the ground lines bounded by a color carrying groove whichdefines the outline of the design element. In such cases, thetransparent plate 22, after-the negative on the light sensitive member23 has been reduced marginally a distance X, as shown in Fig. 5, ismoved edgewise a further distance Y, as shown in Fig. 4a, and thenrevolved in a circular path to bare a light reecting marginal band Ydistance in width to the action of light. While the light reiiectingband thus bared is turning dark the film or plate 24 in the camera isexposed thereto to create a positive comprising a light affected band Ydistance in Width defining the marginally reduced outline of the designelement. When the band thus bared to the action of light turns dark thenegative of the design element on the light sensitive member 23 isreduced marginally a distance equal to the sum of the X and Y distancesas shown in Fig..4c. After the marginal band has been photographed onthe lm in the camera, the image bearing film 2B is removed from in frontof the light sensitive member 23 and the lm or plate 24 in the camera isexposed thereto through a ground screen. The resultant positive, as

shown in Fig: 4d, is reduced marginally and ity comprises a marginallyreduced outline dening band 30, Y distance in width, and a plurality oflight affected areas 3| and unaffected areas 32 within the boundary ofthe outline defining band 30.

In the event the light sensitive member 23 is of the kind that gradually4loses its light transmitting properties when subjected to the action oflight, the light instead of being projected through the transparentplate 22 onto the light sensitive member 23 is projected through thelight sensitive member 23 while the outline defining band 30 is beingphotographed onto the film 24 in the camera. Then after the outlinedefining band 30 has been photographed onto the illm in the camera andbefore the marginally reduced negative on the light sensitive member 23loses its light transmitting properties, the image bearing lm 20 isremoved from in front of the light sensitive member 23 through which thelight is projected and the lm 24 in the camera is again exposed to themarginally reduced negative through a ground screen. The resultantpositive in the camera is similar to the positive shown in Fig. 4d whichis created when the light sensitive member 23 is light reflecting.

When the -positive (4d) thus prepared is employed to create a printingmember, the reproduction of the design element is reduced marginally,and it comprises an outline defining color carrying groove at whichterminate the upstanding walls or ground lines.

In still other cases it is desirable to provide a color retarding darnbetween the marginally reduced outline dening color carrying groove andthe ends of the ground lines. In such cases, as shown diagrammaticallyin Figs. 8 to 1,5 inclusive, the image bearing face of the film 20 onthe plate 22 is mounted in intimate contact with the face of the lightsensitive member 23, as shown in. Fig. 8, then moved edgewise a distanceX (Fig. s

9) and revolved in a circular path to create a marginally reducednegative in the manner heretofore explained. Then the plate 22 carryingthe image bearing film is moved edgewise a further camera as heretoforeexplained to create a positive comprising a light; affected band Ydistance in width, as shown in the shaded portion of Fig. 11. Theninstead of removing the image bearing lm 2li from in front of the lightsensitive member 23 as was done in' the previous case, the plate 22carrying the image bearing film 20 is moved edgewise a further distanceZ (Fig. 12) and revolved in a circular path. Then regardless of whetherthe light sensitive member 23 is light refleeting or light transmitting,light is projected through the transparent plate 22, through thetransparent portion of the image bearing lm 2l) and against the bandthus bared to the action of light to marginally reduce the negative onthe light sensitive member 23 a distance equal to the sum of thedistances X, Y, and Z, in Fig. 13. After the negative of the designelement on the light sensitive member 23 has been so reduced marginally,the image bearing film 20 is removed and the lm or plate 24 in thecamera is exposed to the thrice marginally reduced negative through aground screen (Fig. 14). In the event the light sensitive` member 23 islight reflecting the light is projected against the negative but if thelight sensitive member 23 is transparent the light is projected throughthe negative when the negative is being photographed on the lm 24 in thecamera through the ground screen. The resultant positive, in eithercase, after being developed, as shown in Fig. 15, comprises a marginallyreduced outline defining light affected v band 35, Y distance in width,an unaected band 36, Z distance in width, and alternate light affectedareas 31 and unaffected areas 38 which terminate against the unaffectedband 36. When the positive thus prepared is employed to create aprinting member, the etched reproduction of the design element isreduced marginally and it comprises an outline vdefining color carryinggroove and color retarding dam against which terminate the ground lines.

In still other cases it is desirable to limit the color carryingcapacity of the printing area outside the color carrying dam. In suchcases a ne screen is introduced in front of the film 24 in the camerawhile the marginal band Y distance in width is being photographed andthen removed before making the last marginal reduction and the otheroperations which follow. Otherwise, the steps in the process will beprecisely the same as those last described. The resulting positive inthe camera, after being developed. is illustrated in Fig. 16' and itcomprises a narrow band 40, Y distance in width, oi very small aEectedand unaected areas 4| and 42, respectively, and an unaffected band 43, Zdistance in width, against which terminate the alternate aifected andunaiected areas 44 and 45, respectively, created by the ground screen.When the positive thus prepared is employed to create a printing member,the reduced marginal portion of the reproduction will comprise a seriesof minute color carrying cells or pockets instead of by a continuousgroove of constantl depth and its col-or carrying capacity reducedaccordingly. This feature of reducing the color carrying capacity of themarginal portion of the printing surface is based on the weil known factthat the depth of the etch depends upon the area subjected to the actionof the acid. In consequence, by varying `the sizes of the transparentand opaque areas of the fine screen various reduced color carryingmarginal portions may -be created on a vprinting member. For example, itis thus possible to have the marginal portioncomprise a great number ofvery small entirely disconnected color carrying cells or pockets of evenor uneven depths, or a great number of small color carrying cells orpockets which run together to form a continuous color carrying groove ofuneven depth.

The fine screen preferably employed to reduce the color carryingcapacity of the marginal portion of the printing member isnon-geometric, that is to say, the transparent and opaque areas do notfollow any particular pattern, otherwise a regular line of opaque areasmightline up with one portion of the marginal band initiallyphotographed on the lm in the camera while a regular line offtransparent areas might line up with a'notlier portion of the band,.inwhich case `the width of the band so photographed and hence the width ofthe marginal band of the etched reproduction would vary.

In all cases, color spreads beyond the periphery of the etchedreproduction during a printing operation, but by regulating the distanceX by which the negative on the lightsensitive member 23 is initiallyreduced marginally it is possible to. produce impressions on fabrics andthe like Awhich are duplicates of the original design eleduction of adesign created thereon in the form of J, a color carrying groove whichdefines the outline of the design and a plurality of color carryingareas positioned within and spaced from said groove by a color retardingdam.

i OWEN R. HUGGINS.

